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wo A pr c e P a frica followi ), the n iation f envi esents a rrest of n Am ng st ati or honoronmen nother o two Bla a e t rican emenon’s prem the men t foll i er C r the li t for Afr minous ck men owin er in a publ ommiss fe and w ican Am signal at a P P h ilade g towa ic unres ion foun ork of D ericans of the inhiladelp lyears BAKER . h rds b t in o d ra c L i r r S cism . King a ess than easingl a Starb ecom ur c b efore on Calif FIE nd 5 and ing a omm two y dan ucks orni h 0 u p g w b i s e natio nitie o e fre y e r ed w convict a n wh s, we lice brut ears afte eks after ous ion i r the ality t we ere a still h even Vicente in days, perso have a at th Kern e t n B ng w rooyou 1993 hough enavi tent is jud2.loWhen t of see this logo scan 1. Get the app by scanning or download it was convic the stat d not t of theirged by t ay to go he whole picture with this QR code with your from Google Play the he co over c injur false. M tion on e S lo o haracter cong a i tablet or smart phone. or The App Store or smartphone. f the tablet ation “The Sryour a a n nnou es recan ny doct ro d o t n e insig provi tarbuckir skin. d c fi rst-d ed Tu . Ker rs eg n e ure ht rega des dan s situw o uld b ree mu sday tha C impl of our rding t gerous r d e o e n “ ra tp di drefus icit bia nation he failchar degree mfficult, if nd tha s t e o s g to b eriou not e, he take urde unc ism onscious elieve thsly. We Bena would r. Even im u if B b n w v a e ti id Bus of— e are bias—t t our ton, l a court es will r immedia can h o f e Ker iness P t e w r e s n u and acay and pokesw order to main o t fieldn Coun ionee polic into ou does m naware n o R New ty S r Aw NA o i a r e rder ehabilit man for release h k s . actio e its s Ob uper ard W Sta ACP P ation i i t s h n p e “ r serv ior C s r inne W Cali m ovid . Be Blac and e k the bucks reside “ er p ourt f I r; Ju e n ’ k d v a w n n ow hot ould e seen , Thor vides o requ men (NA failur situat t and o) . (Carin dge G nto if t it h be co ire si in P ion ACP e of C E h gto loria O andc x po hilad wo ) our prov Bena within a appen i n said.

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News Observer FREEEE!!

The Valley’s

Wel c Dee per ome Con tent to O Promise and Peril Rose Bowl . Picturesbserv of California’s Mov e LegalLPot awsMarket e Hall of . Ad r Int uit A s Ta D e iscr lleg lk. L rac i m Preg inat es Fame ive S tiv hop e Offi nant P ion by ping riso cer Inducts n .

N ews O Legends bse THI S

jubilation and long lines of customers.

As the year ends, California’s pot economy remains a 3. S work in progress.

Consumers can buy legal buds from San Diego to San SMACAN L Francisco, and thousands of growers have state licenses.

RTP OGO HON WIT But the market is dogged by thousands of illegal H YO E. operators legal shops.

LOundercut Srules cer ithat U ANGthat vary from city to city, whether Because of s R G s r a u Bloo TAB c ELE in babybuy marijuana dlig e Jone you can depends on where you S LET whil g the sta products Film ht and s: w Rev Bam are. te pr (AP) _ A e a O s ie i r Baker e w p s R r p i egna ondicreditsofor Ca i the massive TuState Bak sfield esda regulators e nt. S get ng to n sybeginning fornmedicinal stillegal Fres rsfield em a land y job of transforming the longstanding a ia no S Nat i r a n a iv fi f h B t g e Bas tate M e Na C C a h r she correct k t bmultibillion-dollar ketb m marijuana aoounified, e ersinto aske oogmarkets e g i all C n’s Hea ed fi t l l w e e e oac l d d d. beenfimixed. sayresults industry. led a een in says she on offi h s she have r a lethe tiona foBut m d or We a i s Some companies are doing well, but many others are l t s s t es whlost he crim Insti stren old o wnot.

FREE! a the C will Reap i s t n u n u ffi ation en she ous p tion onseq c po anot ’tAnd uence in Teare ositi ials she laws ible already casualties. her p sssome s uit ositi and she hachap on at th was pr Env W i o e iron e ’d . g n h C S Just n w men e h w h a a n h a lifo es nt ith ve il s Facinice Issu tal “lost e runnin he was a lower to eithe ays she rnia Co and Res g Kern es iden w rrec s r g h ts Co. e s a t a v s ake l Dep er bab to sto en m lary. eave told tha a y p o r t n d m a t u tion or ac h t Opin Sta did nent of C e to a p fight be s pregn cept : Poli L to R Randal McDaniel, Rose Bowl President Gerald Freeny,ionPatrick (Halas Grandson).

(Earl Heath l t uck a a w o o to 2 rbMcCaskey ce R n c r t e t e r C s , e imm n eco e har Blac CEO photo) in Fa ging IC mmen ediat ctions a tal rupt n inmat Coogle kM tal C E Ag d en AApolog u e n ely c rash ents f rres izes omm d Commre.” The s and la ell ted ent o unit Califo ter y Re n h rn e law– A OLIVE BRANCH, Miss. t(AP) hMississippi abili ia She s u tait. bracelet man says he ordered his wife a $2,000 diamond Say riff You s Urg He Wa ngbloo for Christmas and was shocked see 48 of the bracelets d in Kill g Any s Not Inm when he opened the box. ates one to “Meet C WATN-TV reports Olive Branch Alderman Dale EO & Dickerson ordered the bracelet from a company called Foun der o Jewelry Unlimited that’s based in Atlanta. f When Dale received his shipment, there were “ Ra m dozens of bracelets in the box but no paperwork.

Num page T A Q ber On akes Dale called the company after catching his breath. uiet e fro Plac m e He says the manager sounded panicked but Dale sent the extra bracelets back.

The manager thanked him for his honesty in an Bey o $10 nce Giv email and the company sent a pair of diamond earrings 0 ,0 e s 00 t Hist as a thank-you for returning the bracelets.

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By Earl Heath Contributing Sports Writer It always special when someone enters The Rose Bowl Hall of Fame, but this years Class was truly legendary. The likes of George Halas, Randall McDaniel, Pop Warner and Vince Young.

Halas was a three -sport star at the U of Illinois but played in the 1919 Rose Bowl game a s a member of the Great Lakes Navy Tea. He scored on a 32 yard TD reception and returned an interception for 72 yards for a score in a 17 -0 win over Mare Islands Marines. He was named game MVP. He later founded a football team in Decatur. “He was given $5,000 to help move the team to Chicago” said grandson Patrick McCasky. Thus, the Chicago Bears were born. Halas was player coach for ten years getting 324 wins and s ix NFL titles.

Randal McDaniel was a beast of an offensive lineman.

He’s in The Pro -football Hall, The Arizona Hall, the college football Hall and now the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame.

He was easily one of the puling guards in the game.

He helped Arizona State defeat Michigan in the 1986 game 22-15 .”The win over Michigan was my favorite football moment, said McDaniel, the Rose Bowl game means so much,” McDaniel is a school teacher nowadays.

Pop Warner coached for more 45 years in college winning 4 national titles 3 at Pitt and his final one at Stanford. He coached in the Rose Bowl three different times with Stanford. They are several hundred Pop Warner football leagues around the Country.

“Young people are who Warner stood for,” said Jon Butler, CEO of Warner little Scholars. “ He believed in them and the foundation shows a great support of what he wanted. “ Vince Young became a Rose Bowl legend with back to back wins over Michigan 2005 and 2006 - he was name player of the game in both contest. Texas coach Mack Brown was inducted in 2018, he felt “ no one from Texas should be inducted in the Rose Bowl Hall before Vince Young.”

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HOF inductee Vince young shares a moment with Steve and Linda Finley. (Earl Heath photo)

Family Demands Answers in Hanging Death The St. Louis County NAACP is joining the McKinnies family in the call for transparency and justice regarding the murder of Danye Jones. “There’s too many unanswered questions” said John Gaskin III, St. Louis County NAACP President. “We support Mrs. McKinnies call for justice and transparency in the death of her son.”

FERGUSON, MO — As the nation moves into the Holiday season, it’s been a brutal eight-weeks since that dreadful day when Ferguson-based activist Melissa McKinnies found her son Danye Jones hanging dead from a tree in her yard; eight weeks with no answer from the St. Louis County Medical Examiner’s Office regarding the cause of death.

While reports from police say the death was reported as a “suicide,” McKinnies says no, it was a “lynching.” She believes that she and other activists who have protested police brutality, including the deaths of Michael Brown Jr., and Freddie Gray in Baltimore, have been targeted and monitored not only by racists and White Nationalists, but also agencies within the US government. She believes there was foul play in the death of her son and is calling on transparency by police.

“My son was murdered, point blank,” said McKinnies.

“We are demanding the Medical Examiner’s office to release its findings and demanding police investigate his death as a murder,” she added.

The St. Louis County NAACP is joining the McKinnies family in the call for transparency and justice regarding the murder of Danye Jones. “There’s too many unanswered questions that we are demanding answers to,” said John Gaskin III, St. Louis County NAACP President. “We support Mrs. McKinnies call for justice and transparency in the death of her son.”

2 Homeless Men Allegedly Broke into Home and Cooked Dinner

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) – Two homeless men have been charged with burglary after a California man said he came home to find them cooking dinner.

Robby Spillman tells KNBC-TV he returned from Christmas shopping last Friday to find the men in his Santa Monica apartment.

Spillman says the men, who stank and wore filthy, ripped clothing, told him they hadn’t expected him home so soon and asked if they could “hang out’’ for a while.

Spillman says he played along, asked if they had enough food, then pretended to take his French bulldog for a walk and called 911.

Nineteen-year-old Markis White and 29-year-old Elijah Smart were arrested. It’s unclear whether they have a lawyer.

Meanwhile, Spillman and his pregnant girlfriend plan to find a new home.

Store Security Guard Charged with Murder

Courtesy of Melissa McKinnies According to a report in the Washington Post several deaths of Ferguson Activists since 2014 have “inspired speculation that Ferguson protesters are being systematically murdered…” While the reports suggests there is no evidence yet regarding this, numerous media reports have confirmed the surveillance of Black activists

by Federal agencies.

Earlier this year groups Color of Change and the

Center for Constitutional Rights filed a lawsuit against DHS and the FBI regarding information on the government’s tracking of activists involved in the Movement for Black Lives.

For McKinnies, the most pressing matter right now is justice regarding her son’s death.

“This is about justice! All Black lives matter and so does the life of my son!”

America’s Oldest Veteran Dies at 112 President Barack Obama greets Richard Overton and Earlene Love-Karo.

Man Orders Wife 1 Diamond Bracelet, Gets 48

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Contributor Born on May 11, 1906, Richard Arvin Overton, a member of what is often called America’s “Greatest Generation,” died on December 27th in Austin, Texas. At 112 years and 230 days, Overton was believed to be the oldest living man in the United States as well as America’s oldest veteran.

He enlisted into the Army on September 3, 1940 at Fort Sam Houston in Texas. Overton then fought in World War II, serving in the all-black 1887th Engineer Aviation Battalion. He fought in the South Pacific from

1940 through 1945, a time which included battle in Iwo Jima. He retired from the U.S. Army in October of 1945 as a technician fifth grade. He then worked at a furniture store and then took a job at the Texas Department of the Treasury.

“He was there at Pearl Harbor, when the battleships were still smoldering. He was there at Okinawa. He was there at Iwo Jima, where he said, ‘I only got out of there by the grace of God said former President Barack Obama in 2013 during a Veterans Day ceremony honoring Overton at Arlington National Cemetery.

The second World War was the deadliest conflict in modern military history as over 70 million people lost their

Continued on page A3

LOS ANGELES (AP) – A store security guard was charged Monday with murder in the fatal shooting of a man he suspected of shoplifting at a Los Angeles pharmacy, prosecutors said.

Donald Vincent Ciota, 28, was scheduled for arraignment Jan. 2 on the murder count and an allegation of using a firearm as a deadly and dangerous weapon.

Ciota confronted Jonathan Hart on Dec. 2 inside the pharmacy on Sunset and Vine and a physical altercation ensued, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said.

Ciota pulled a firearm and shot the 21-year-old in the back as he ran away, prosecutors alleged.

Family attorney Carl Douglas said Hart was unarmed and was not shoplifting the night he was killed. Douglas claimed Hart was the victim of profiling because he was homeless, harassed because he was gay and “shot, because he was black.’’

The family was “heartened’’ that prosecutors charged Ciota, the attorney said at a Monday press conference.

Douglas said Hart’s family is planning to file a $525 million wrongful-death suit against Walgreens. He said the family is calling for a boycott of Walgreens until the company removes armed guards from its stores.

“The death of Jonathan Hart has left blood on the hands of executives of Walgreens,’’ Douglas said.

Mark Geragos, Ciota’s attorney, said he believed his client will be vindicated.

“There is no way in the world this should be a murder case,’’ Geragos told reporters. “If this were a police officer, they would be lauding him let alone filing murder charges.

It’s ridiculous. He was assaulted, he defended himself.’’

Walgreens said it continues to cooperate with authorities and has extended its condolences to Hart’s family.

“We operate in thousands of communities and neighborhoods across the nation and the suggestion that we would inappropriately serve any community is simply false,’’ the company said in a statement.

Ciota’s bail was set at $3 million. If convicted as charged, he faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison.

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THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, January 3, 2019

World & Nation

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Credo-The Black Press believes that America can best lead the world away from racial and national antagonisms when it accounts to every person, regardless of race, color, or creed full human and legal rights. Hating no person, fearing no person, the Black Press strives to help every person in the firm belief that all are hurt as long as any one is held back.

The effort was led by Democratic senators Cory Booker of New Jersey and Kamala Harris of California (Source: Twitter.com)

Booker Thankful for the Historic Anti-Lynching Bill

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Cory Booker was so moved by the unanimous passage of a historic – and long overdue – bill to make lynching a federal crime that he was stirred to quote Maya Angelou.

“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again,” Booker said as he thanked the Senators who agreed in a historic moment to stand up as one and make lynching a federal crime.

The bill would require an enhanced sentence for those who commit such crimes and judges would now be able to hand down life sentences to perpetrators.

“Gratitude,” Booker said as earlier, the New Jersey Democratic Senator joined with California Democrat Kamala Harris in seeking the Senate’s support.

Introduced to the Senate in June, the legislation still needs House approval and, of course, the signature of President Donald Trump.

Reportedly, there have been 200 previous attempts over the past century to pass similar legislation, but each had failed to this point. Between 1890 and 1952 in the United States, seven presidents petitioned Congress to end lynching, reads language in the bill.

The bill defines a person guilty of lynching as “willfully, acting as part of any collection of people, assembled for the purpose and with the intention of … (causing) death to any person.”

Between 1882 and 1968, the NAACP recorded 4,743 lynchings, 3,446 of which included victims who were black.

In all, 73 percent of the people lynched were black, but the NAACP said not all lynchings were recorded at the time.

“Lynching is a dark and despicable aspect of our nation’s history,” said Senator Harris, who along with Booker are the center of swirling speculation about a 2020 presidential run.

“We must acknowledge that fact, lest we repeat it,” she said.

As racial tension grew in the late 19th century, mostly in the South, lynchings became a popular way of resolving the anger whites had toward newly freed slaves in the middle of general economic problems.

However, Newsweek reported that 27 percent – or 1,297 of the 4,743 total number of people lynched from 1882 to 1968 – were white. The NCAAP said many whites were lynched in retaliation for aiding blacks, expressing antilynching sentiments or committing domestic crimes.

“This has been a long arc, a painful history and a shameful history in this body,” Booker said.

“At the height of lynchings across this country, affecting thousands of people, this body did not act to make that a federal crime... at least now, the United States Senate has acted. One hundred senators, no objections,” he said.

Just one day before the Senate passed the anti-lynching legislation, President Donald Trump signed “The First Step Act,” a bill that provides a measure of criminal justice reform.

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Booker co-sponsored The First Step Act. He appeared on the “Black Eagle” Joe Madison’s Sirius XM Radio Show to talk about that bill and to slow some of the rhetoric that it was a complete criminal justice reform overhaul.

“I just want everybody to know it is just a first step and I know there will be some people heralding it as the reform of the criminal justice system. That’s a little a wrong and it’s a lot wrong and even offensive because we have a lot more work to do,” Booker said.

“But this bill, think of it as doing about three major things: one is a lot of sentencing reform, giving judges more flexibility to not go around the mandatory minimum sentencing for low-level drug offenders, correcting one of the biggest disgraces around the crack cocaine powder cocaine disparity,” he said.

The bill makes that retroactive, which means about 2,660 people, 90 percent of whom are black will now find justice and have pathways to liberation after the wallowing in jail for years, disproportionately and wrongly because of what was in effect a racist policy, Booker said.

“It does a lot on the sentencing reform. Then it changes a lot of things inside prison that are just outrageous, from effectively ending juvenile solitary confinement on the federal level; ending the shackling of pregnant women and, when they’re in prison, even just like basic acts of dignity,” he said.

The legislation also ensures that a woman’s feminine hygiene products are made available free to women in prison and the bill helps to prepare those who are leaving jail.

“With allowing for everything from re-entry programs and efforts to helping people earn time, shave off months

The Observer Group Newspapers reserves the right to publish views an opinions that may not necessarily reflect those of the staff and management and are soleley the product of the responsible individuals who submit commentaries published in these newspapers. Letters, articles and comments appearing in the Observer Newspapers reflect the opinions of the contributor and do not constitute the opinion or endorsement by The Observer Newspapers or its staff. The Observer Group Newspapers assumes no responsibility for photographs, articles, letters, press releases and unsolicited materials. Decisions as to the editing and publishing of materials are at the discretion of the Publisher and Editors. All rights are reserved on materials accepted for publication unless otherwise specified.

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER Bakersfield News Observer Los Angeles News Observer 1219 20th St. Bakersfield, Ca 93301 Mailing Address P.O. Box 2341 Bakersfield, CA 93303 Phone (661) 3249466 FAX. (661) 324-9472 emails- General info: observernews@gmail.com Advertising: observeradvertising@ gmail.com Online: www.ognsc.com

and years to help them, because if they’re participating in programs that will empower them when they get out,” Booker said. “And the fact the good time credit fix alone by making it a fairer system is going to help get rid of 33,000 years in prison alone with what they’re doing.

“This is going to help a lot of people get pathways to liberation, sooner pathways to liberation immediately. It’s going to stop some awful things that go on to people in prison.

“So, this is a good bill, but it is just a first step in a milelong journey of criminal justice reforms we need to do from policing all the way through to re-entry.”

Farm Bill Includes Millions for Black Farmers

By Congressman Cedric L. Richmond (D-LA-02) Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus In 1986, on her award-winning “Control” album, singer-songwriter Janet Jackson asked: “What have you done for me lately?” This is a question the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) is asked a lot. Well, here’s our latest answer to that question: Since its founding in 1971, the CBC has used the legislative process to right historic wrongs and to give a voice to the voiceless, and that’s exactly what we did in the $867 billion Farm Bill that passed Congress, which includes millions for HBCUs, black farmers, and rural communities of color.

As a result of the CBC’s efforts, 19 historically black land-grant universities will now get millions of dollars that states have been denying them for years. According to federal law, states are required to match federal funding dollar-fordollar for land-grant universities, but many HBCUs have not been getting what they are owed. In fact, a 2013 report by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities found that from 2010-12, 61% of the historically black land-grant universities did not receive 100% of the one-toone matching funds from their respective states. Now states are required to report to Congress how much funding they’re providing to both historically black land-grants and their predominantly white peers. This is something the CBC has been fighting for for over two decades.

In addition to this new reporting requirement, at least three of these institutions will get a research center, called a “Center of Excellence”, that will allow them to lead the nation in research on food insecurity issues that affect African Americans in both rural and urban communities. It’s no secret that a lot of low-income, black communities are food deserts – meaning that there’s no place for the people who live in these communities to get fresh fruits and vegetables.

The hope is that the research coming out of these Centers of Excellence will help address this issue and others.

Finally, the 19 historically black land-grant universities will get at least $2 million in additional federal funding for scholarships that they can use to attract new students.

This funding will come from the $80 million scholarship program ($40 million in mandatory funding and $40 million in discretionary funding) that the CBC fought to get included in the Farm Bill.

When I first came to Congress, the CBC had just helped thousands of black farmers win a billion-dollar settlement against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for discriminating against them for federal farm loans. It took work to get that settlement and it took more work to make sure that settlement was paid out. But the CBC’s fight for black farmers continues.

As a result of the CBC’s efforts, black farmers will now be able to get the training and resources they need to better run their farms through USDA’s Farming Opportunities Training and Outreach Program (FOTO), a program that is a combination of the USDA’s Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program and the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers and Veteran Farmers and Ranchers, the latter of which provides grants to organizations that work with farmers of color and farmers who are veterans. The combined FOTO program will get $50 million in federal funding, a $20 million increase from previous years.

As a result of the CBC efforts, black farmers will also be able to more easily pass their farms on to their families. Some estimates show that 60% of land owned by AfricanAmericans in the United States is heirs’ property, which is property that is passed down without a will or transfer of title. Before now, owners of heirs’ property were unable to get the credentials that are required to access USDA programs that could help them resolve heirs’ property issues. The CBC fought to address this contradiction in the Farm Bill.

Finally, because of issues that black farmers experience both within and outside of USDA, the CBC fought to include a provision in the Farm Bill that protects the Department’s Civil Rights Division from reorganization and political interference. Specifically, the provision prevents the Division from implementing actions, policies, or decision documents until a civil rights analysis is conducted by the Department on how well the Division processes and resolves civil rights complaints. This analysis is necessary to protect the civil rights of USDA employees, contractors, and beneficiaries (e.g. black farmers).

My last day as CBC chair is Wednesday, January 2.

Members of the CBC can’t be chair for more than one Congress so I’ll be passing the torch on to Congresswoman Karen Bass (D-CA-37) who I’m confident will take the CBC to higher heights. For me, chairing the CBC has been an opportunity of a lifetime. But the thing I’m most proud of is this: Despite a White House and Congress that was hostile to bettering the lives of African Americans, the CBC was still able to get a lot done, and the policies and programs included in the Farm Bill is just one of many examples. Happy holidays to you and your family.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A3

Features

Florida A&M University Marching “100” Performs at Los Angeles AME Church More than 200 members of Florida A&M University’s (FAMU) Marching “100” performed outside of First AME Church of Los Angeles on Sunday, prior to their scheduled January 1 performance in the Tournament of Roses Parade.

The event at FAME was one of nine scheduled prior to the Rose Parade. The band’s trip to Los Angeles was assisted

by Los Angeles-based philanthropists and FAMU alumna Bernard and Shirley Kinsey, who were among hundreds of worshippers and community members (including former

FAME Pastor, Reverend Cecil L. “Chip Murray, a FAMU alum), watching the parade on a special telecast from inside the church. Citations were presented by Pastor “J” Edgar Boyd, FAME’s Senior Minister, to Larry Robinson, PhD, FAMU’S President; Shelby Chipman, PhD, FAMU’s Director of Bands and the Kinseys, on behalf of the Los Angeles City Council, Councilman Marqueece HarrisDawson and FAME Church.

(Photos by Clayton Everett)

National Parks Get Bad Behavior Amid Shutdown visitors despite the staff furloughs, said John Garder, senior budget director of the nonprofit National Parks Conservation Association.

“We're afraid that we're going to start seeing significant damage to the natural resources in parks and potentially to historic and other cultural artifacts,'' Garder said. “We're concerned there'll be impacts to visitors' safety.''

“It's really a nightmare scenario,'' Garder said.

Under the park service's shutdown plan, authorities have to close any area where garbage or other problems become threats to health and safety or to wildlife, spokesman Jeremy Barnum said in an email Monday.

“At the superintendent's discretion, parks may close grounds/areas with sensitive natural, cultural, historic, or archaeological resources vulnerable to destruction, looting, or other damage that cannot be adequately protected by the excepted law enforcement staff that remain on duty,'' Barnum said.

In the southern Sierra Nevada in Central California, some areas of the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks were closed Monday evening. In Sequoia, home to immense and ancient giant sequoias, General Highway was closed because overflowing trash bins were spreading litter and posed a threat to wildlife and the icy, jammed roadway was seeing up to three-hour delays, according to the National Park Service.

Also closed was the Grant Tree Trail, a popular hiking spot, because the government shutdown halted maintenance and left the path dangerously slick from ice and snow, with at least one injury reported, the park service said.

Campers at Joshua Tree National Park in Southern California's deserts were reporting squabbles as different families laid claims to sites, with no rangers on hand to adjudicate, said Ethan Feltges, who operates the Coyote Corner gift shop outside Joshua Tree.

Feltges and other business owners around Joshua Tree had stepped into the gap as much as possible, hauling trailers into the park to empty overflowing trash bins and sweeping and stocking restrooms that were still open, Feltges said.

By ELLEN KNICKMEYER and JOCELYN GECKER Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) _ Human feces, overflowing garbage, illegal off-roading and other damaging behavior in fragile areas were beginning to overwhelm some of the West's iconic national parks, as a partial government shutdown left the areas open to visitors but with little staff on duty.

“It's a free-for-all,'' Dakota Snider, 24, who lives and works in Yosemite Valley, said by telephone Monday, as Yosemite National Park officials announced closings of some minimally supervised campgrounds and public areas within the park that are overwhelmed.

“It's so heartbreaking. There is more trash and human waste and disregard for the rules than I've seen in my four years living here,'' Snider said.

The partial federal government shutdown, now into its 11th day, has forced furloughs of hundreds of thousands of federal government employees. This has left many parks without most of the rangers and others who staff campgrounds and otherwise keep parks running.

Unlike shutdowns in some previous administrations, the Trump administration was leaving parks open to

Feltges himself had set up a portable toilet at his store to help the visitors still streaming in and out of the park. He was spending his days standing outside his store, offering tips about the park in place of the rangers who normally would be present.

“The whole community has come together,'' Feltges said, also by phone. “Everyone loves the park. And there's a lot of businesses that actually need the park.''

Some visitors have strung Christmas lights in the twisting Joshua trees, many of which are hundreds of years old, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Most visitors were being respectful of the desert wilderness and park facilities, Joshua Tree's superintendent, David Smith, said in a statement.

But some are seizing on the shortage of park staffers to off-road illegally and otherwise damage the park, as well as relieving themselves in the open, a park statement said.

Joshua Tree said it would begin closing some campgrounds for all but day use.

At Yosemite, Snider, the local resident, said crowds of visitors were driving into the park to take advantage of free admission, with only a few park rangers working and a limited number of restrooms open.

Visitors were allowing their dogs to run off-leash in an area rich with bears and other wildlife, and scattering bags

America’s Oldest Veteran Dies at 112 Continued from page A1

lives and the U.S. suffered over 407,000 deaths in battle.

As the years went by Overton became a local and then national celebrity. In 2013, at the age of 107, Overton won widespread media attention after telling Fox News he would spend Memorial Day “smoking cigars and drinking whiskey-stiffened coffee.” He was later invited to the White House.

Overton had been hospitalized with pneumonia but was released from the hospital on December 24, Christmas Eve according to family member Shirley Overton. He had become known in his community for driving others to church well after turning 100 years old.

“With his quick wit and kind spirit he touched the lives of so many, and I am deeply honored to have known him,” wrote Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in a statement on December 27 after hearing the news of Overton’s death.

The Governor added that Overton was, “an American icon and Texas legend. Richard Overton made us proud to be Texans and proud to be Americans. We can never repay Richard Overton for his service to our nation and for his lasting impact on the Lone Star State.”

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Born on May 11, 1906, Richard Arvin Overton, a member of what is often called America’s “Greatest Generation,” died on December 27th in Austin, Texas.

of garbage along the roads, Snider said.

“You're looking at Yosemite Falls and in front of you is plastic bottles and trash bags,'' he said.

Officials at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado said Monday they were closing restrooms and locking up trash bins in many locations.

In Yellowstone National Park, private companies have picked up some of the maintenance normally done by federal workers. The contractors that operate park tours by snowmobile, buses and vans are grooming trails, hauling trash and replacing toilet paper at pit toilets and restrooms along their routes.

Nearly all roads inside Yellowstone are normally closed for winter, meaning most visitors at this time of the year

access park attractions like Old Faithful or the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone through guides. Those guides are splitting the cost of grooming the trails used by their vehicles to keep their operations going, said Travis Watt, general manager of See Yellowstone Alpen Guides based in West Yellowstone, Montana.

The tour companies can likely keep this system going through the entire winter season if they need to, Watt said.

“It's definitely not our preference _ the park service does a good job doing their thing and we hate to see them out of work,'' Watt said. “But it's something we can handle.''

A4

Entertainment THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER

Thursday, January 3, 2019

After a Decade of Dormancy, Chaka Khan Blooms Again

By MIKE CIDONI LENNOX AP Entertainment Writer PASADENA, Calif. (AP) – If Chaka Khan were a flower, she'd be a perennial.

"Because I go dormant and then I...” Khan stops and gracefully lifts her arms together, then slowly brings her hands apart, like a tulip emerging in spring.

"I've done it many, many times,” explained the singer, perhaps best known for her multimillion selling 1984 cover of Prince's "I Feel For You.” On the brink of her first new album in a decade, and, on New Year's Day, serving as grand marshal at the Rose Parade, Chaka Khan is in bloom again.

After receiving the call from the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association, the term "grand marshal” had the 65-year-old Khan's mind running wild.

"I'll tell you what I visualized,” Khan recalled. "I imagined myself with a baton, marching in the front. `I'm leading the whole parade.' That's what I thought.”

Not even close.

Instead, Khan will be seated on a comfy bench in the back seat of a classic convertible, which will slowly make its way past the thousands along the 5.5-mile parade route.

(The parade will also be seen by millions more on TV.) "This is all new for me,” the 65-year-old Khan commented. "I love challenges. And I love new stuff.”

Khan will also open parade festivities with a performance. Publicists were unable to confirm whether the grand marshal-performer double duty is a Rose Parade first, but they did note it was the first time in recent memory. Khan said she would sing two songs: "I Feel for

You,” as well as "Hello Happiness," the second single from the new album.

The new song is not a political statement _ unless you want it to be.

"I think we need a shot of just not taking the little things so seriously,” Khan said of the "Happiness” lyrics.

"Little things are important. It's about the little things, but just flow.”

The new album, expected by the end of 2019, is her first since the well-received 2007 "Funk This.”

So, why take such a long break between the two releases?

Khan said she never stopped recording from 20082018, she simply stopped releasing material. She also took care of herself physically and made up for all those lonely years on the road by spending time with family and friends.

She also needed time to pull herself together after the April 2016 passing of old friend Prince, who died of a drug overdose. About six months later, Khan entered rehab to deal with her own prescription-drug addiction.

"You cover up and rethink your whole life,” Khan commented. "You've got to rethink yourself.”

At last, for Khan, it is time to bloom again. And this parade, with its roses in winter, seems the perfect place for a perennial to make her return.

Khan even has her regal wave ready the masses.

"It's just that,” she said, raising her arm, cupping her hand and moving it back and forth ever so slightly. "You use as little energy as necessary. You know, the Queen is very stingy with her energy.”

‘Aquaman’ Rules & Others See a Post-Christmas Bump

By LINDSEY BAHR AP Film Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) – In the final weekend of 2018, “Aquaman” still led the pack at the box office, but other films like “Mary Poppins Returns,” “The Mule” and “Second Act” enjoyed post-holiday bumps too, even amid an onslaught of new Christmas offerings like “Vice,” “Holmes and Watson,” “On the Basis of Sex” and the Netflix phenomenon “Bird Box.” Warner Bros. said Sunday that “Aquaman” added an estimated $51.6 million in North American ticket sales over the weekend to take first place again. Down just 24 percent from its domestic debut, the DC Comics pic, which has been No. 1 internationally for four weeks, has now grossed nearly $748.8 million worldwide.

Although other films in theaters were left in “Aquaman's” wake, more than a few in the top 10 experienced an uncommon uptick in returns this weekend.

Disney's “Mary Poppins Returns” ended the weekend up an estimated 19 percent, in second place, with $28 million, while “Bumblebee,” down only five percent, settled in third with $20.5 million.

Up 11 percent, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” got fourth with $18.3 million, and “The Mule,” up 24 percent, took fifth with $11.8 million.

The Jennifer Lopez-led “Second Act,” which got off to a slow start last weekend, also found itself up 11 percent, with $7.2 million in seventh place. But the biggest bump of all came for Disney's “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” which was up nearly 40 percent in its sixth weekend in theaters, with $6.5 million.

“There is a bit of a lull on the weekend leading into Christmas. People are busy and distracted,” said

Michael Jackson’s Mother, Katherine Jackson Gravely Ill

Katherine Jackson (Photo source: Facebook.com)

By Stacy M. Brown NNPA Newswire Correspondent @StacyBrownMedia Katherine Jackson, the matriarch of the famed Jackson family, is reportedly gravely ill, with family members already fighting over her share of the late Michael Jackson’s estate.

Outlets like Radar Online, the National Enquirer and even Atlanta Black Star have reported that Jackson, 88, is facing brain surgery.

Previously, the outlets reported that Jackson has had several strokes and other ailments that have left her wheelchair-bound and dependent upon caretakers.

The latest reports also suggest that several of Jackson’s children have engaged in a fierce battle to control their mother’s share of the late King of Pop’s vast estate – valued at more than $1 billion.

“Now everybody in the family is jockeying for position!” a source told the National Enquirer. Although a rep denied it, two family insiders claimed the great-grandmother has suffered from excruciating headaches, leading to a hospital visit in late summer, the tabloid reported.

“Katherine is in dire condition,” another source told RadarOnline.com. “Now everybody in the family is jockeying for position.”

“Her doctor thought she had a stroke,” another unnamed source – described as an insider – told Radar. According to another source, Katherine remained hospitalized for about a week.

“More tests were conducted to see if her condition might be something even more serious – like a brain tumor,” the source said.

The family insider said doctors discovered a golf ballsized growth on Katherine’s brain and declared she must undergo surgery as soon as possible.

While some doubt the veracity of unnamed sources, several members of the Jackson family are well-known for speaking off the record and requesting anonymity.

Michael Jackson, who died in 2009, provided stories about himself and his family to the National Enquirer, according to his former publicist and others around the

Jacksons.

Earlier this year, family patriarch Joseph Jackson died at the age of 89 after a bout with cancer.

Multiple outlets had reported that Joseph had been alienated from the family after he publicly tried to cash in on Michael Jackson’s 2009 death by employing look-a-likes and holding press conferences to push new music and other material while the family mourned the “Thriller” singer.

Battles over the King of Pop’s fortune reportedly began moments after he was pronounced dead, with Katherine, Latoya and others searching his Los Angeles home and beseeching Jackson’s former nanny to tell them where cash may have been stashed inside.

Now, sources have told news outlets that Katherine’s children are elbowing each other to ensure they get their slice of the pie before — and after — Katherine dies.

She currently pays out a combined $37,000 a month to daughters La Toya, 62, and Rebbie, 68, a source told Radar.

Katherine also forks out $12,000 to son Jermaine, 64, and nearly $10,000 to pay the rent for some of Jermaine’s and Randy’s children.

“Some of those people want her to live so they can stay on the gravy train,” a source told the tabloid. “Others would like to see her go, thinking they’ll get even more from her estate!”

Born in Barbour County, Alabama, on May 4, 1930, Katherine and Joseph married in 1949 and had 10 children together including superstars Michael and Janet.

A musician and singer, Katherine, along with Joseph, encouraged the family to pursue a career in music. She’s made very few recent public appearances – once at her grandson’s concert in Los Angeles; later at another show featuring one of her granddaughters and at Joseph Jackson’s funeral in August.

Katherine and Joseph Jackson had nearly 30 grandchildren and, despite varying media reports, the two never divorced.

Comscore's senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “But the weekend after, most of these films in the top 10 got a bounce.”

This so-called “catch-up” weekend made it a little difficult for the Christmas newcomers to make a huge impact, however, especially when the big wide-releases this time were either politically charged (the Dick Cheney movie “Vice”) or poorly reviewed ("Holmes and Watson,” which is in the single digits on Rotten Tomatoes and got a deathly D+ CinemaScore).

Annapurna's “Vice,” starring Christian Bale as the former Vice President, came out on top for the new films, grossing $7.8 million from the weekend and $17.7 million since its Christmas opening. A leading contender at the Golden Globe Awards this coming Sunday, the film earned mixed reviews from critics and a C+ CinemaScore from audiences.

“That a movie with that subject matter can ride a wave to sixth place is really indicative of how interested people are in this movie,” Dergarabedian said. “This is required viewing for anyone studying the awards season race.”

Driven by the star-power of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, “Holmes and Watson” managed to take in $7.3 million despite the negative audience and critic reviews.

The Sony film has grossed $19.7 million since Christmas Day. And in limited release, the Ruth Bader Ginsburg film “On the Basis of Sex” starring Felicity Jones grossed $690,000 from 33 locations, for a total of $1.5 million since its debut. The Laurel and Hardy film “Stan & Ollie,” also with Reilly, opened on five screens to $79,674,” and “Destroyer,” with Nicole Kidman, earned $58,472 from three locations.

The box office year as a whole is barreling toward a record $11.9 billion in returns, as time runs out on 2018, although final numbers won't be in from all the studios until mid-week.

“This is the perfect way to end a record box office year,” Dergarabedian said. “This weekend represented everything that this year was about: Diversity, escapism and the movie-going experience in the theater, once again proving that the movie theater can take on all competition

and come out a winner.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore.

Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1.

"Aquaman,” $51.6 million $85.4 million international).

2.

"Mary Poppins Returns,” $28 million ($28.9 million international).

3. "Bumblebee,” $20.5 million ($45.7 million international).

4. "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” $18.3 million ($27.4 million international).

5.

"The Mule,” $11.8 million.

6.

"Vice,” $7.8 million ($875,160 international).

7.

"Holmes and Watson,” $7.3 million ($4 million international).

8. "Second Act,” $7.2 million ($1.5 million international).

9.

"Ralph Breaks the Internet,” $6.5 million ($13.7 million international).

10. "Dr. Seuss' The Grinch,” $4.2 million ($17.5 million international).

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Comscore: 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

“Aquaman,” $85.4 million.

“Bumblebee,” $45.7 million.

“Mary Poppins Returns,” $28.9 million.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” $27.4 million.

“Kill Mobile,” $20 million.

“Dr. Seuss' The Grinch,” $17.5 million.

“Bohemian Rhapsody,” $17.1 million.

“Mojin: The Worm Valley,” $16.7 million.

“Ralph Breaks the Internet,” $13.7 million.

“Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald,” $8.2 million.

Chris Brown Charged with Monkey-Related Misdemeanors LOS ANGELES (AP) – Chris Brown has been charged with monkey-related misdemeanors.

The Los Angeles city attorney’s office confirms Thursday that the 29-year-old singer was charged last week with two counts stemming from his possession of a pet capuchin monkey without a permit.

Brown posted a picture to his 44 million Instagram followers in January showing his 3-year-old daughter, Royalty, cuddling with the monkey, named Fiji.

California fish and wildlife agents took the monkey away soon after.

Brown is scheduled to be arraigned Feb. 6. An after-hours email seeking comment from his attorney Mark Geragos was not immediately returned.

Brown has been in repeated legal trouble since pleading guilty to the felony assault in 2009 of his thengirlfriend, Rihanna. He completed his probation in that case in 2015.

Thursday, January 3, 2019

THE VALLEY’S NEWS OBSERVER A5

Sports

2018 NFL Regular Season Recap

By Cameron Buford Whatsgoodinsports.com Yet another season of surprising endings and recording breaking performances in the National Football League ends. We’ve seen players retire mid-way through the season as well as first-year players dazzle us with their remarkable talents. Prior to the season beginning, we posted our list of Top 10 stories which we going to keep an eye on throughout this season.

As we all know, each season presents its own set of storylines, this article will review our previously listed storylines for this season in contrast what actually happened during this season. Going into the season these were my top storylines; 9) Have we seen the last of Dez Bryant? As of now, this former 1st round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys and 3-time Pro Bowl is a free agent, after being cut in April of this year. There’s no doubt Bryant can still be a productive receiver in the league, though it appears his reputation may be preceding him.

Going into the Season most of us were wondering where would be the landing spot for Dez Bryant? Most of us would still like to have seen what Dez Bryant could’ve brought to that already potent New Orleans Saints offense.

Unfortunately, we would never get to see that, as Dez tore his Achilles in his first week of practice as a Saint.

8) 2007 was the last time the Except for the New England Patriots dazzled their competition with great receivers. Though they do a great job in finding a certain type of receiver to excel in their lineup, the return of Julian Edelman was certainly someone they were looking to have back in their lineup. However, Edelman will be serving a 4-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performanceenhancing substances policy during his rehabilitation.

Edelman’s absence apparently didn’t have much impact because the Patriots have earned the #2 seed in the AFC East and a first-round bye; again. The bigger story for the Patriots may have been them acquiring talented WR Josh Gordon from the Cleveland Browns early in the season.

After a few big games, rumor has it that Gordon removed himself from the team before receiving an additional suspension for violating league’s substance abuse policies.

7) As he entered the NFL, most of any concerns were due to his potential off the field behavior. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2015 1st overall draft pick Jameis Winston reached the Pro Bowl in his initial season, the Buccaneers have yet to reach the playoff under his leadership and the Buccaneers brass fears were realized once Winston was recently suspended for 3 games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy. Though this may not be correctly placed on the morality list, this list simply ranks this specific storyline in comparison to other NFL offseason storylines.

Jameis’ suspension ended up not hurting his team, as his replacement Ryan Fitzpatrick got off to such a sizzling start that many, including the Buccaneers, truly considered separating from Jameis Winston all together. Due to the dearth ineffective NFL quarterbacks in the league, the Buccaneers would be best suited to keep Jameis for yet another season, and maybe a new head coach would benefit Winston and the inconsistent Buccaneers offense.

6) Earlier this year at the owner’s meetings the NFL owners have implemented new rules for this upcoming season. A few rule changes of note are; – A 15-yard penalty for lowering head to initiate, make contact with helmet…? This rule is so vague that this is sure to cause confusion among offensive and defensive players alike. Because this happens on nearly every play, it will be interesting to see how this rule will this be enforced.

Or to what level will the officials will try to emphasize this

A chance to hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy is what the NFL teams are playing for! (Bing Photos)

rule.

– There’s a revised standard for a catch. Gone is the “survive the ground” requirement. Now a receiver must control the ball, establish himself in bounds and perform a football move – such as a third step or a lunge to make a catch legal. So many of those catches we knew to be a catch then, would now be a catch. A few of those controversial “non-catches’ that would be a catch this season are the 2010 Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson reversed TD play, the Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant 2014 catch called no catch, Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Jesse James reversed TD catch late in the 2017 season.

– The NFL has granted permission for command center to eject players. Player ejections can now be ordered

by Senior Vice President of Officiating Al Riveron of a player who has been penalized for a non-football act such as punching or fighting. Via his wireless microphone connection with referees Riveron will have the option to step in and demand an ejection on questions plays or cheap shots.

Neither of these rules has impacted the games more than the way these flags have been thrown on defenders touching or tackling the quarterback. In their false interest of protecting the players, the league has made it a point to protect quarterbacks across the league. Many of the flags we’ve seen thrown on players tackling QB’s have been absurd!

5) Each year we enjoy seeing which rookie acclimate themselves best in the NFL. A few of the rookies we will be keeping a keen eye on early is;

– #2 draft pick Penn State Running Back Saquon Barkley will be filling a void the Giants will have for many years now. It will be exciting to see how Barkley compliments Eli Manning and meshes with Odell Beckham Jr. – The Arizona Cardinals drafted former UCLA Bruin Josh Rosen to be their franchise quarterback. Rosen will have a lot of talent around him and be given every opportunity to succeed in this very tough division. It will be interesting to see how far he can lead the Arizona Cardinals this season.

– With the 11th pick of the NFL draft, The Miami Dolphins drafted 6’0” 204 lbs. Alabama Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to pair him with current Safety Rashad Jones.

This pick is expected to have an immediate impact by bringing awareness and toughness to the previously porous defense.

Though Cardinals QB Josh Rosen and Dolphins Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick showed glimpses of the ability to play on the NFL stage, Saquon Barkley has truly impressed the Giants and their fans in his rookie season. Rushing for over 1,100 yards while gaining over 650 receiving yards is everything the Giants anticipated. However, I nor the NFL expected Indianapolis Colts Linebacker Darius Leonard to steal the show as he has changed the persona of said Colts defense. So much so, Leonard deserves the Rookie of the Year award! Though not listed, Baker Mayfield had an impressive rookie season once he was inserted into the starting line-up, leading the Browns to their most wins in 4 seasons.

4) There have been multiple intriguing free agent

signings that have captured the minds of NFL fans. The Green Bay Packers signing of 5-time Pro Bowler Jimmy Graham has NFL fans imagining Graham doing the Lambeau leap multiple times per game with Aaron Rodgers throwing the ball to him.

By gaining just over 600 yards in an initial season with the Green Bay Packers. Graham’s 2 touchdowns had little to no impact for the Green Bay Packers. Firing their head coach midway through the season and failing to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season didn’t assist his situation either.

3) It’s not often that we’ve seen productive playoff quarterbacks switch teams simultaneously. Cousins, Keenum and Alex Smith were among the free agent quarterbacks to switch teams this offseason. Kirk Cousins joining the Minnesota Vikings will be just as interesting as Case Keenum joining the Denver Broncos or Alex Smith joining the Washington football team. There’s little doubt that Kirk is walking into the best situation and yet the toughest situation because it’s Superbowl or bust for the Vikings seeing as how they made the NFC Championship last season.

Alex Smith, unfortunately, suffered a horrific leg injury midway through the season, and so went the playoff hopes for their football team. Case Keenum didn’t fare any better this season as his Denver Broncos failed to make the playoffs as well. After being paid the most lucrative contract in the history of the NFL, Kirk Cousins also failed to lead his Minnesota Vikings to the playoffs this past season.

2) The health of Andrew Luck is a major concern for the Indianapolis Colts. Having sat out, all last season, the Colts brass and the NFL fans are waiting to see if Luck is healthy enough to reclaim his position as one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and lead the Colts back to the playoffs.

Though he got off to a slow start, Luck played himself into shape and was end old form by mid-season. Not only did Luck lead the Colts to the playoffs, but they also earned double-digit wins for the first time in 3 seasons. Luck also finished his season with his highest competition percentage of his career.

1) The most notable Free Agent additions of Ndamukong Suh, Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib to the Los Angeles Rams has to be the biggest storyline of the NFL offseason. After winning the NFC West last season, they add 3 Pro Bowlers to this already potent team, in an effort to get them over the hump and into the 2019 Superbowl.

As expected, the Rams offense proved to be potent much of the season… the defense, after acquiring the guys they did in the offseason, hasn’t been as impressive as anticipated. Aaron Donald played at his traditional allworld pace though that Rams defense gave up their most points in 8 seasons. They did earn a first-round bye in the playoffs by winning their division and having the secondbest record in the conference.

Le’Veon Bell sitting out the entire season was a complete surprise to me and probably should’ve led our list, though I never would’ve thought a player would willingly sit out an entire season over a contract dispute.

Other noteworthy stories included Vontae Davis retiring at halftime, Kareem Hunt get expelled from the Chiefs and Patrick Mahomes, the quarterback from that same Chiefs backfield and favorite to win the NFL MVP, light up the league like few others have before! Please let me know your thoughts on our recap of our Top Storyline of the NFL Season by commenting in the comment section of this article on www.whatsgoodinsports.com or reaching out to us on twitter @whatsgoodinsports.

5 Black NFL Coaches Fired Stanford TE Kaden Smith

By Lauren Victoria Burke NNPA Newswire Correspondent Five of the NFL’s seven African American head coaches were fired on December 31st. Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks was fired after just one season. The Cardinals’ record was 3-13 — the worst record in the league — but over the last 18 years, there have only been ten head coaches who were fired after only one year. Three of them were African American.

This NFL season the following Black head coaches were fired: Marvin Lewis (Bengals, 6-19), Vance Joseph (Broncos, 6-10), Todd Bowles (Jets, 4-12), Hue Jackson (Browns, 7-8) and Steve Wilks (Cardinals, 3-13).

The firings mean there are now only two Black head coaches in the NFL: Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn and Steelers longtime head coach Mike Tomlin.

The firing of Wilks in Arizona after only one season won particular attention. In the NFL, many coaches fail in their first year yet remain employed. Though the NFL has made great improvements in hiring Black head coaches over the last twenty years as the result the Rooney Rule, the recent firings were sobering. The Rooney Rule mandates that NFL teams interview at last one minority candidate before making their final hiring decision.

Professional football is dominated by African American players, as over 70 percent of them are African American.

Typically, players go on to become coaches but the overwhelming numbers on the field have yet to surface among the coaching ranks in the NFL. Many see the recent firings as ironic progress: There was a time when the firing of five African American coaches would have been inconceivable because there were none on the sidelines. However, thirty percent of NFL coaches were Black before the firings this season.

Though one of the coaches fired, Hue Jackson, has one of the worst win/loss records in the modern NFL, many point to the fact that there haven’t been enough hired over a long enough time to conclude that the hiring and firing pattern is biased one way or the other. Still others say that management above the head coaching position is actually often to blame for failing results and losing records.

From 2007-2008, Lane Kiffin went 5-15 with the Oakland Raiders. From 2000-2002, Dave Campo went 1533 over two seasons. From 2006-2008, Rod Marinelli went 10-38, which included a 0-16 season, with the Detroit Lions.

“Despite owning one of the league’s worst rosters, the Cardinals fired their coach anyway, as Bidwill scapegoated Wilks — who became only the 10th coach to be fired after only one season since 2000 — for the franchise’s failures,” wrote NFL writer for Yahoo News, Terez Paylor, regarding Wilks’ firing.

Writer Dave Zirin, who writes about race and sports often, wrote, “In a league 70% African American, there are now two (!) Black head coaches after today’s (firings). Shameful numbers. Failure of a Rooney Rule without teeth and owners who will nearly always bend towards whiteness.”

“Not a good look for diversity today in the NFL. In 2006, when Commissioner Goodell was hired, there were seven minority coaches and four minority general managers.

Today there are three minority HCs and 1 minority GM after Ozzie retires,” wrote Jim Trotter.

The regular season in the NFL ended on December 30.

As more changes are made over the off season there is likely to be more Black head coaches added. But for now, the debate on the numbers will focus on the recent firing and whether those dismissed will find employment elsewhere for 2019.

2019 NFL Playoff Preview

By Cameron Buford Whatsgoodinsports.com Years ago, the NFL set out to have parity within the league. Meaning they wanted each team to have a similar opportunity for success. An indication that this goal is being achieved is in their 29 consecutive seasons streak of having at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs, which was not in the postseason the previous year. Even in this season’s playoffs, 7 of the 12 teams that made the playoffs were not in the playoffs last season. This is great for fans, as each team does seem to have an opportunity to compete for that historic Lombardi Trophy. Providing the organization is ran proficiently.

As the NFL’s regular season has weeded out the pretenders from the contenders; only the contenders enter the playoff with the opportunity to hoist that Lombardi trophy and being crowned Champion of the National Football League. This article will show my preseason prediction in contrast to the actual playoff contenders while previewing the upcoming playoffs.

For your comedic pleasure, below are my preseason predictions. You will not see the Seahawks or Cowboys, Colts, Chargers or Ravens. However, one half of my Superbowl prediction is still alive and just so happens I picked that team to win all. Let’s go Saints!

WGS Pre-Season Playoff Predictions Playoff Teams (Wild Card Winners) Steelers, Chargers, Chiefs, Texans (Patriots & Jaguars) Packers, Saints, Eagles, Panthers (Rams & Vikings) Conference Champs Jaguars & Saints (Yes, I picked the Jaguars) Super Bowl Predictions Saints over Jaguars…

NFL WILD CARD PLAYOFFS Saturday, January 5, 2018 AFC: 1:35 PM (ET) Indianapolis at Houston (ABC) The Colts have a better offense led by Andrew Luck and a better defense regardless of the names on the uniform.

Though these teams split their season series, I have the Colts winning this game in a hard-fought match up.

NFC: 5:15 PM (ET) Seattle at Dallas (FOX) This should be a classic hard-hitting football game!

The Seahawks have established themselves as the #1 rushing team in the NFL, the Cowboys have emerged as the #7 rush defense in the league making for an awesome match for football fans! Though the Cowboys will have the home field advantage the combination of Pete Carroll and Russell Wilson will be tough for the Cowboys to overcome.

Seahawks win.

Sunday, January 6, 2018 AFC: 10:05 PM (ET) Los Angeles Chargers at Baltimore (CBS) The formula for winning playoff football is run the ball and stop the run! The Ravens are #2 in rushing and #1 in defense, normally I would pick the team that runs the ball and stops the run… however, I expect the more experienced Chargers to be smarting from their previous loss to the Ravens and pull out the victory in this game.

NFC: 1:40 PM (ET) Philadelphia at Chicago (NBC) This is a tough game to pick. We have the defending champions matched up against a rejuvenated Bears defense and a young athletic quarterback. The Eagles have played their way into the playoffs and the Bears have been surprising teams all season long. I must rely on the formula to pick a winner for this game, the Bears are #11 in rushing and #3 in defense and will, therefore, end the championship reign of the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Chiefs will face the lowest remaining seed in the AFC as the Saints will face the lowest remaining seed in the NFC that following week. The Rams will face the highest remaining seed in the NFC as the Patriots will face the highest remaining seed team in the NFC. and have earned first round a bye in the playoffs.

Thought the league seeks parity, these NFL playoffs promise to be even more exciting. We will have the best of the best competing for that championship which could cement their legacy’s in the game forever. I still have the Saints winning the Super Bowl, likely over the Chiefs.

Wouldn’t it be fun to see a New Orleans Chiefs vs Kansas City Chiefs indoors for the Superbowl? Please let me know your thoughts on my playoffs predictions and share your Super Bowl predictions by commenting in the comment section of this article on www.whatsgoodinsports.com or reaching out to us on twitter @whatsgoodinsports.

Declares for NFL Draft

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) – Stanford tight end Kaden Smith will skip his final season of college to enter the NFL draft.

Smith thanked his teammates, coaches and family when he announced the decision on Tuesday.

Smith had 47 catches for 635 yards and two touchdowns this season for the Cardinal.

He missed the final three games of the season with a foot injury.

Smith had 70 catches for 1,049 yards and seven TDs in 20 games over two seasons in college. He is the latest in a long line of talented tight ends at Stanford and is projected to be taken in the first four rounds of the draft.

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Thursday, January 3, 2019

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Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay 50th Anniversary Celebration of Otis Redding’s Hit Song Concludes with Star-Studded Video

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 19, 2018 -- Princess Cruises, Playing For Change, and the Estate of Otis Redding have teamed up to produce a new video to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Otis’ iconic hit “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” filmed in port cities around the world visited by Princess Cruises – San Francisco, Los Angeles, Ft. Lauderdale, Hawaii, Jamaica and Barcelona. The newest addition to Playing For Change’s “Songs Around The World” series, features an all-star track including Jack Johnson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Aloe Blacc, Dexter and Otis Redding III, James Gadson, Louis Mhlanga, the students from the Otis Redding Foundation Music Camp, Claire Finley, Irie Love, Mar Sanchez, and the Rass Brass Extension.

Fans can visit www.princess.com/DockofTheBay to view the music video as well as exclusive behind the scenes content.

Onboard Princess ships, guests can enjoy the videos and also donate to the Otis Redding Foundation and Playing for Change Foundation. Both organizations support music education for children and underserved groups. The Princess Community Foundation will match donations (up to $25,000) made before March 31st, 2019. Fans can also donate to Foundations online at www. princess.com/DockOfTheBay. “We are so thrilled to get to share the fruits of this partnership with the world,” says Zelma Redding, president of the Otis Redding Foundation, and widow of Otis Redding. “This was a wonderful way to celebrate 50 years of “(Sittin’ On The) Dock Of The Bay,” and certainly an appropriate and heart-warming way to honor and remember the legacy of my husband.”

“This was also an incredible opportunity for our students to travel and experience what it is like to work in this aspect of the music industry and explore the inner workings of a world-class cruise ship,” added Karla Redding-Andrews, vice president and executive director of the Otis Redding-Foundation, and daughter of Otis Redding. “I am also excited to have the work of the Otis Redding Foundation get new exposure with the Playing For Change audience and Princess Cruises guests, and I hope that our mission of empowering, enriching, and motivating all young people through programs involving music, writing and instrumentation will resonate with all our new fans!” “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” was the 6th most played track of the 20th century. It is, without a doubt, one of the most beloved songs of all time, streamed over 200 million times. It was the first song in pop music history to reach #1 posthumously on the Billboard Hot 100 and R&B charts.

“It’s the honor of our lives to collaborate with the Otis Redding Foundation to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.’ This song has no boundaries and lives forever in the hearts and souls of everyone who listens,” says Mark Johnson, co-founder of Playing For Change and the director of the video. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” is one of the most requested songs by guests enjoying their vacation onboard Princess Cruises. This video celebrates music around the world and the inspirational power of our oceans -- ideals that are important to us,” said Gordon Ho, Princess Cruises Chief Marketing Officer. “We’re especially delighted to support music education for youths, some of whom may perform one day on Princess ships.”

The release caps off a banner year for the song and for Otis Redding. The 50th Anniversary celebration launched in January with a celebrity-filled tribute show at the Apollo Theater during Grammy Week. The day and date of the release was commemorated with a limited-edition gold 7” vinyl release of the original single. It continued with the release of the Dock of the Bay Sessions, promoted

by Rhino Entertainment, in May. Special, limited-edition 50th anniversary merchandise was released throughout the year. The release of the “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” Song Around The World is the last gift closing out a monumental year recognizing the illustrious hit.

ABOUT THE OTIS REDDING FOUNDATION The Otis Redding Foundation’s mission is to empower, enrich, and motivate all young people through programs involving music, writing and instrumentation. Each partnership and program sponsored since its inception in 2007 supports the philanthropic commitment of Otis Redding to empower and enlighten all young people to fulfill their dreams. For more information, please visit www.otisreddingfoundation.org ABOUT PLAYING FOR CHANGE Playing For Change is a movement created to inspire and connect

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memories and meaningful stories for guests to share from their cruise vacation. The product innovations include partnerships with award-winning Chef Curtis Stone; engaging entertainment inspired shows with Broadwaylegend Stephen Schwartz; immersive activities for the whole family from Discovery and Animal Planet that include exclusive shore excursion to onboard activities; the ultimate sleep at sea with the award-winning Princess Luxury Bed and much more.

Three new Royal-class ships are currently on order

with the next new ship, Sky Princess, under construction scheduled for delivery in October 2019. Princess recently announced that two new (LNG) ships which will be the largest ships in the Princess fleet, accommodating approximately 4,300 guests with expected delivery in 2023 and 2025. Princess now has five ships arriving over the next six years between 2019 & 2025. The company is part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/ LSE: CCL;NYSE: CUK).

Maxine Waters Statement at National Debt Hearing “…The shameless GOP tax scam contains massive giveaways for the nation’s largest banks. According to Americans for Tax Fairness, the country’s six largest Wall Street banks will collectively save an estimated $14 billion in 2018 alone.”

The Estate of Otis Redding partnered with Princess Cruises and Playing For Change to create the video; Featured Artists Include Jack Johnson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Aloe Blacc, Dexter and Otis Redding III, and more

the world through music, born from the shared belief that music has the power to break down boundaries and overcome distances between people. PFC spreads their positive message for humanity to millions of people through inspiring multicultural music videos, a live global touring band and a 501c3 foundation supporting music education around the world. For more information, please visit www.playingforchange.com About Princess Cruises One of the best-known names in cruising, Princess Cruises is a global premium cruise line and tour company operating a fleet of 17 modern cruise ships, carrying two million guests each year to more than 380 destinations around the globe, including the Caribbean, Alaska, Panama Canal, Mexican Riviera, Europe, South America, Australia/New Zealand, the South Pacific, Hawaii, Asia, Canada/New England and World Cruises. A team of professional destination experts has created more than 150 award-winning itineraries, ranging in length from three to 111 days and Princess Cruises has been continuously recognized as “Best Cruise Line for Itineraries.”

Princess Cruises continues its multi-year, “Come Back New Promise” – a $450 million-dollar product innovation and cruise ship renovation campaign that will continue to enhance the line’s onboard guest experience. These enhancements result in more moments of awe, lifetime

“When we return next year in the new Congress, with Democrats in the Majority, this Committee will reject harmful and reckless policies like these, and work to ensure that our financial system is fair.” — Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA)

WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA), Ranking Member of the House Committee on Financial Services, gave the following statement at a full Committee hearing entitled, “The Peril of an Ignored National Debt.”

As Prepared for Delivery Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, since this hearing is about attention to the national debt, I think it is important for the public to understand that the Republican tax scam, pushed through by Congressional Republicans and Donald Trump during this Congress, explodes deficits by an estimated $2.3 trillion from 2018 through 2028, leaving future generations to foot the bill.

The shameless GOP tax scam contains massive giveaways for the nation’s largest banks. According to Americans for Tax Fairness, the country’s six largest Wall Street banks will collectively save an estimated $14 billion in 2018 alone.

And it’s not just banks - the tax scam includes a 20 percent deduction for pass-through businesses, which is a huge giveaway to hedge funds and other Wall Street firms.

To make matters worse, companies are overwhelmingly using the windfall from the tax scam not to hire more

workers or raise wages, but to buy back shares from their investors.

This law has been very deliberately constructed by my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to benefit huge corporations on Wall Street and millionaires and billionaires, at the expense of hardworking Americans.

The American public, and future generations will be forced to pay for these handouts to massive corporations because of the actions of the Republican-controlled Congress and this President.

And of course, Republican policies such as the Bush tax cuts – and the Iraq war – are also major contributors to the deficit.

So, when my colleagues on the other side of the aisle talk about fiscal responsibility and the perils of ignoring the national debt, it must be understood that their actions do not match their rhetoric, particularly when it comes to tax cuts for the wealthy.

When we return next year in the new Congress, with Democrats in the Majority, this Committee will reject harmful and reckless policies like these, and work to ensure that our financial system is fair. We will prioritize protecting consumers and investors, making sure strong safeguards are in place to prevent another financial crisis, expanding and supporting affordable housing opportunities, encouraging responsible innovation in financial technology, promoting diversity and inclusion in the financial services sector and ensuring that hardworking Americans and small businesses have fair access to the financial system and opportunities to thrive.

So, Mr. Chairman, I thank you and I yield back the balance of my time.

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